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Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Clasping Inspiration- Part 2

Which came first- the chicken or the egg? Or in this case, the necklace or the clasp?

In my last post, I shared a bracelet created around an Elegant Elements clasp. Now, here is the inspiration for the 2nd piece- again working backwards and creating a necklace to compliment a clasp.

Elegant indeed! These clasps are so great for bead embroidery because they are not only beautiful, but substantial enough to support larger pieces, which (ahem) kinda describes a lot of my work.

What do you think of when you look at this clasp? Well, to me, it was diamonds and pearls, with a hint of gold. Since diamonds are out of my price range, I settled for freshwater pearls and swarovski crystals.

I had a nice carved blister pearl focal in my stash that I had been saving, along with several MOP cabochons- perfect for this project!

I mimicked the diamond shapes in the clasp by using a netting stitch both in the main collar and the "fringe". The pearls sprinkled throughout the fringe were an afterthought. Since it gave the collar more dimension and a nice texture, I was pleased with the effect, and subsequently added another layer of pearls to the main part of the collar also.

Instead of using the stiffer bead embroidery all the way around, I usually weave the last few inches of the collar in the back. This makes the collar more comfortable to wear and allows it to lay better. Using gold seed beads and netting stitch, it tied right in to the rest of the piece.

I am simplifying the process a bit here, not mentioning the 3-4 times I redid both the fringe and the back of the collar, but that is history, and here is the finished piece! I envision a bride walking down the aisle wearing this and a simple strapless gown.

I am knee deep in finishing the last piece for this project. I am quite excited about it- it actually incorporates 2 of the Elegant Elements clasps and is convertible! Till then......

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"Lakshmi"

About Me

I am a bead artist living and working in Western New York State. I have been beading for many years, but only discovered my real passion for bead embroidery about 6 years ago. Since then I have created many pieces from simple earrings to very elaborate collars.
I sell my work online through Etsy
http://www.bettystephanbeadwork.etsy.com
as well as exhibiting at Art Shows throughout the Eastern U.S.
you can follow me on Facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Betty-Stephan-Beadwork/134426161640
I have won several awards in national contests, including Fire Mountain Gems and Bead Dreams. I have been published in both Bead and Button Magazine and FMG catalogs.